What do the Aka Pygmies, Polish Highlanders and French composer Claude Debussy have in common with Eric Johnson, Bumblefoot and Paul Gilbert? They all tapped into the power of the pentatonic scale to ignite their music and pull listeners to their feet. The pentatonic scale crosses all genres and is embraced by all cultures -- five notes; infinite musical possibilities. And if you play any style of rock then the pentatonic scale is your #1 moneymaker and Tony Smotherman's 50 Power Pentatonic Licks You MUST Know is your personal Fort Knox.

Video Introduction

Click below for a sample video from the course

About the Guitar Lesson Plan

Interactive Video Guitar Instruction

Remember learning those first few pentatonic licks and how sweet they sounded cranked up over practically anything? So you learned a few more licks, and a few more after that but eventually they all start sounding tired and boring. Five notes; limited possibilities? Not for Shawn Lane, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, Jimmy Herring, Tony McAlpine, Paul Gilbert and so many of their peers. These giants of rock guitar power up those same five notes, that same pentatonic scale, with a variety of techniques and moves, which transform their lines into fresh, compelling musical statements. And so can you!

Tony's cherry-picked collection of 50 pentatonic gems will deliver double-bang for your educational buck. First, they'll expand your vocabulary with 50 head-turning licks that alone will spark up some excitement in your solos and improvisations. But Tony also teaches you how to apply these techniques and approaches to craft your own lines from scratch. You'll learn how to apply tapping, legato, open-string lines, pedal points, odd and unconventional bends, barring, phrasing, sweeps, 3-note-per-string patterns, octaves and more in your pentatonic work all over the fretboard.

All of the licks are presented over a rhythm track for context and then followed by a detailed breakdown of the line along with the techniques being employed to perform it. Everything is tabbed and notated, plus you get all of the rhythm tracks to practice the lines over by yourself.

Five notes; infinite possibilities!

About Your Instructor

Tony Smotherman

Tony Smotherman is quickly becoming one of the most popular guitarists on the scene. His eclectic mix of influences sets him apart from all of his peers with his own distinct sound. Innovating new techniques and combining a huge array of different styles, Tony has created a diverse musical world. Tony has opened for and played with a vast array of national and international touring acts. Although rooted in rock, Tony intertwines all the musical worlds he explores with his own distinct fingerprint.

For the past five years, Tony has been teaching students throughout Florida and southern Georgia, playing and touring, producing instructional videos, and contributing to local and national music magazines. Tony has performed live to packed houses and held sold-out guitar clinics. In September of 2005, he was personally invited to perform his work in an instructional and performance series in the Grand School of Music at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, Delaware. While gaining recognition for his musical abilities, Tony has acquired endorsements with Vigier Guitars, Revolt Amps, DR Strings, and Morley Pedals.